This is a copy of the 2015 Word Wise page republished in January 2019.
Hi there! Below is a list of the words of the day that were featured in 2015. For more recent words, look under the ‘Word Wise’ tab.
brogue; noun: a heavy shoe often with a hobnailed sole
limn, verb: to draw or paint on a surface
qualm; noun: a sudden feeling of doubt, fear, or uneasiness especially in not following one’s conscience or better judgment
eloquent; adjective: marked by forceful and fluent expression
expatiate; verb: to move about freely or at will; wander
ruly; adjective: obedient, orderly
vicinity; noun: the quality or state of being near : proximity
nebula; noun: any of numerous clouds of gas or dust in interstellar space
foreshorten; verb: to shorten by proportionately contracting in the direction of depth so that an illusion of projection or extension in space is obtained
xanadu; noun: an idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place
kangaroo court; noun: a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted
dewy; adjective: moist with, affected by, or suggestive of dew
sinecure; noun: an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income
bipartisan; adjective: of, relating to, or involving members of two parties; specifically :marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties
equanimity; noun: evenness of mind especially under stress
confidant; noun: one to whom secrets are entrusted; especially : an intimate friend
trepid; adjective: timorous, fearfu
williwaw; noun: a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes
lucullan; adjective: lavish, luxurious
absolve; verb: to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt
delectation; noun: delight, enjoyment
pellucid; adjective: admitting maximum passage of light without diffusion or distortion
underwhelm; verb: to fail to impress or stimulate
ebullient; adjective: boiling, agitated
microburst; noun: a violent short-lived localized downdraft that creates extreme wind shears at low altitudes and is usually associated with thunderstorms
proclivity; noun: an inclination or predisposition toward something; especially : a strong inherent inclination toward something objectionable
affluent; adjective: flowing in abundance
miasma; noun: a vaporous exhalation formerly believed to cause disease; also : a heavy vaporous emanation or atmosphere
tremulous; adjective: characterized by or affected with trembling or tremors
jurisprudence; noun: the science or philosophy of law
xeric; adjective: characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture
reprise; noun: a recurrence, renewal, or resumption of an action
incidence; noun: angle of incidence
wooden; adjective: made or consisting of wood
luminary; noun: a person of prominence or brilliant achievement
vilipend; verb: to hold or treat as of little worth or account : contemn
askew; adverb or adjective: out of line : awry
haplology; noun: contraction of a word by omission of one or more similar sounds or syllables
spontaneous; adjective: done, said, or produced freely and naturally
consternation; noun: amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion
peruse; verb: to examine or consider with attention and in detail : study
binary; adjective: consisting of two things or parts
equinox; noun: either of the two points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic
timeless; adjective: having no beginning or end : eternal; not restricted to a particular time or date
morpheme; noun: a distinctive collocation of phonemes (such as the free form pin or the bound form -s of pins) having no smaller meaningful parts
quondam; adjective: former, sometime
modicum; noun: a small portion : a limited quantity
haptic; adjective: relating to or based on the sense of touch
neoteric; adjective: recent in origin : modern
incandescent; adjective: white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat
moot; adjective: open to question : debatable : subjected to discussion : disputed
affront; verb: to insult especially to the face by behavior or languageb : to cause offense to; to face in defiance : confront
rigmarole; noun: confused or meaningless talk; a complex and sometimes ritualistic procedure.
brusque; adjective: markedly short and abrupt
immaculate; adjective: having no stain or blemish : pure; containing no flaw or error
conspectus; noun: A general sketch or survey of a subject; a synopsis; an outline.
inanition; noun: The condition or quality of being empty; exhaustion, as from lack of nourishment; lack of vitality or spirit.
supposititious; adjective: Fraudulently substituted for something else; notbeing what it purports to be; not genuine;spurious; counterfeit.
diadem; noun: a crown.
trencherman; noun: a hearty eater.
cannibalize; verb: to take (sales) away from an existing product by selling or being sold as a similar but new product usually from the same manufacturer; also :to affect (as an existing product) adversely by cannibalizing sales; to practice cannibalism
august; adjective: marked by majestic dignity or grandeur
beholden; adjective: : being under obligation for a favor or gift : indebted
obeisance; noun: a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow; acknowledgment of another’s superiority or importance : homage
exculpatory; adjective: : tending or serving to clear from alleged fault or guilt
shill; verb: : to act as a decoy (as for a pitchman or gambler); to act as a spokesperson or promoter
titanic; adjective: having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal
pseudonym; noun: a fictitious name; especially : pen name
vilify; verb: to lower in estimation or importance
umbra; noun: a shaded area
longanimity; noun: a disposition to bear injuries patiently : forbearance
neophyte; noun: 1: a new convert : proselyte; 2: novice; 3: tyro, beginner
innocuous; adjective: producing no injury : harmless; inoffensive
duffer; noun: a peddler especially of cheap flashy articles; something counterfeit or worthless
estival; adjective: of or relating to summer
majuscule; noun: a large letter (such as a capital)
foist; verb: to introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant; to force another to accept especially by stealth or deceit
zillionaire; noun: an immeasurably wealthy person
stringent; adjective: tight, constricted
hoosegow; noun: jail
cavil; verb: to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessary
apprehension; noun: a : the act or power of perceiving or comprehending; b : the result of apprehending mentally : conception
interpellate; verb: to question (someone, such as a foreign minister) formally concerning an official action or policy or personal conduct
precarious; adjective: dependent on uncertain premises : dubious
disinformation; noun: false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth
cybrarian; noun: a person whose job is to find, collect, and manage information that is available on the World Wide Web.
waddy; noun: cowboy
futile; adjective: serving no useful purpose : completely ineffective
anastrophe; noun: inversion of the usual syntactical order of words for rhetorical effect
belated; adjective: delayed beyond the usual time
roustabout; noun: an unskilled or semiskilled laborer especially in an oil field or refinery
ingenous; adjective: showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness
hobbit; noun: a member of a fictitious peaceful race of small humanlike creatures that dwell under ground
lackadaisical; adjective: without interest, vigor, or determination; listless; lethargic
adulate; verb: to flatter or admire excessively or slavishly
prefatory; adjective: serving as an introduction or preface
inclucate; verb: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
To find this year’s words of the day, check under the ‘Word Wise’ tab.
Thanks for reading!
-Gabe
